“Maintaining the structural integrity of New Jersey’s bridges is critical to our safety, quality of life and economic vitality,” said Commissioner Kolluri. “The Final Bridge Report and Capital Investment Analysis provides a blueprint to improve infrastructure investment planning in order to ensure the continued safety of our bridges.”

The report details New Jersey’s bridge inspection program and bridge conditions and needs by owner and outlines current repair and replacement efforts. In addition, it provides a comprehensive capital investment analysis in order to ensure the continued safety of New Jersey’s bridges.

The report identifies the need for $13.58 billion in infrastructure needs for structurally deficient and functionally obsolete bridges owned by NJDOT, NJ TRANSIT, toll authorities, special agencies, local governments and private entities. The State will have to increase its bridge total funding to $800 million annually, an increase of $291 million over NJDOT’s current spending level. This would enable NJDOT to address the existing backlog of structurally deficient and functionally obsolete bridges and substantially limit other bridges from becoming structurally deficient.

Alternatively, the report advises the investment of $659 million per year, or an additional $150 million, in order to substantially reduce the existing backlog of the State’s structurally deficient bridges. In addition, the report advocates steady funding for the $18 million bridge inspection system and a $25 million increase in annual funding for repairs to structurally deficient local government bridges. It also calls for a more robust capital investment strategy to ensure the continued safety of bridges on toll roads.